Name: The Midwife's Apprentice (rpkg) (Trophy Newbery)
ISBN: 9780064406307

Karen Cushman

The Midwife's Apprentice (rpkg) (Trophy Newbery)

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Just because you don’t know everything don’t mean you know nothing.

The woman who made a profession of helping women in labor was called a midwife, from Middle English words meaning “with woman.”

In France, a midwife is sage femme, wise woman; in Denmark, jordemoder, earth mother; among Yiddish-speaking Jews, vartsfroy, waiting woman; in Hawaii, pale keiki, protector of the child. Throughout the world midwifery continues to exist alongside medicine for women who choose to continue the tradition.

Sweet and fun story. One could learn a lesson from it.

Callie Anna

Well written and interesting. I just wish that children would actually read good literature like this.

In a small village in medieval England, a young homeless girl acquires a home and a new career when she becomes the apprentice to a sharp-tempered midwife.

The Midwife's Apprentice

Meredith Rose

Hmm, how do I explain this? The Midwife's Apprentice wasn't a bad book... it just wasn't what I was expecting. I was really looking forward to a story about a girl who works closely under the guidance of an experienced midwife to learn an extremely difficult trade during a time when medical knowledge was essentially non-existent. In other words, I was looking forward to a story about a midwife's apprentice. 

Instead, this book is about a girl, Alyce, whom no one - least of all her teacher, Jane the Midwife - believes in and who is given few chances to learn or grow. Poor Alyce fends for herself the entire story, spending most of her time performing menial chores, attempting to teach herself by watching deliveries through bedroom windows, and doing other things completely unrelated to midwifery. In fact, for the majority of the story, she works as an inn keeper's apprentice rather than a midwife's apprentice, after Jane's consistent harassment and Alyce's own lack of confidence drives her to give up all hope. 

(Proceed with caution; there are spoilers ahead, but I feel the need to discuss the ending of this story!)

The climax of the story happens when Alyce, working at the inn, uses what little knowledge and confidence she did gain during her "apprenticeship" to help a young woman staying at the inn weather an unexpected and arduous labor. Alyce successfully delivers the woman's baby boy. Feeling that she has more than proven her worth and that she has learned the value of hard work, persistence, determination, and confidence, Alyce returns to Jane the Midwife. 

Alyce apologizes for not having faith in herself and for giving up too quickly. She speaks to her newfound confidence in all the knowledge she acquired (mostly without Jane's guidance) that led her to successfully deliver the baby at the inn. She asks for the opportunity to become Jane's apprentice again.

Jane refuses her. 

Only when Alyce returns again, having collected herbs and spices, does Jane allow her into the house to continue her "apprenticeship." I suppose some might perceive Jane's actions as teaching Alyce a lesson: "You don't know everything. You must be willing to do the menial tasks before you can truly learn." I disagree. Jane continually manipulates and uses Alyce, fearing that her potential and skill will eventually steal precious business. 

And this is how the story just ends... with Alyce resigning herself to living under Jane's tyranny, where Alyce's potential and talents will continue to be stifled and where she might occasionally glean a lesson by watching through the bedroom window. 

Like I said, The Midwife's Apprentice is not really a bad book. I think it's trying to teach the value of humility, believing in yourself, and being persistent even when others might not see or value your potential. I can really appreciate that message; it's just not what I was expecting. 

Now that I think about it, the only thing that might be wrong with this book is the title. Had it not been called "The Midwife's Apprentice," I probably wouldn't have gone in expecting for Alyce to learn under the guidance of her teacher. Had it been titled differently, maybe I would have been less startled when Alyce spends the majority of the story teaching herself and ultimately settling for less than she deserves.

As a writer myself, this book seems a terrifying but valuable lesson about the importance of a strong and accurate title.